Portable server missing config? Settings lost

[whalelinguini 1]

I usually run the emby server portable. For some reason some of the settings keep getting cleared when the server is shutdown or computer rebooted. The first run wizard will always start and I need to setup the user accounts again. The media/folder config/etc settings seem to stay, my libraries show up in the first run wizard still setup and recent.

I can't seem to track down where/what is being saved or not saved. The portable version seems to create a 'programdata' dir that looks like it would have all of that info that sits in the top level directory the emby-server bins are. Which is not deleted or anything when the server is shut down.

I don't see anything in AppData\Roaming or AppData\Local. Nor C:\ProgramData, and nothing under HKU\Software or HKLM\Software where I would suspect maybe to find some config settings.

Anyone know what I am missing here?

Initially I thought it was my port of making it portable in the portableapps.com format. But just running the portable version normally, the behavior is the same. Fwiw I wrote a powershell script to update the portable install which seems to work great. The issue with settings not being saved should not be related as just downloading the portable zip from emby and running it 'normally' does the same thing. https://github.com/whalelinguni/EmbyServerPortableTool

[Abobader 3464]

Hello whalelinguini,

** This is an auto reply **

Please wait for someone from staff support or our members to reply to you.

It's recommended to provide more info, as it explain in this thread:

Thank you.

Emby Team

[whalelinguini 1]

Ah, appears that the programdata directory it creates, under data\users.db-wal contains the username at setup. Once the server is shutdown, this file and a few others are deleted.

Edit: Aware this is a temp file. But doesn't look like the users are being saved in the sqlite db for some reason. Is actually doing it for both the portable and installer for me.

Edited May 11, 2024 by whalelinguini

[Happy2Play 9782]

The wal and shm files just represent a open database and are closed/deleted when you close the databases ie shutdown Emby.

May need a server log as I have been running portable servers for the beginning and have never logs configs when shutdown/restarting.  As for location it is where ever you put the system folder.

But sounds like you put Emby in a bad place or have something configured incorrectly.

[whalelinguini 1]

I purged everything from the main install I had. Downloaded the setup.exe installer and tried re-downloading the portable. Either or, the users.db does not update or save anything for me. db is just empty if you open it. the library db however is retaining its data. Maybe its my browser or something goofy that's doing something to prevent it from saving. Kinda out of ideas. I've installed and used emby for years, there's nothing weird I'm doing with it.

[Luke 42080]

Keep in mind you can’t open the db files while the server is running.

[whalelinguini 1]

Yes I have to shut it down. Turned out to actually be my browser causing the issue. Must have some conflict with some extension I am running. Tried a fresh instance of chrome with no extensions etc, then all of a sudden it would save and work like normal. Goofy. Well if anyone else randomly runs into this, my browser was causing the issue for me.

[Happy2Play 9782]

3 minutes ago, whalelinguini said:

I purged everything from the main install I had. Downloaded the setup.exe installer and tried re-downloading the portable

Well the installer ie the setup.exe is not a portable install and will install into I believe the admin users appdata (could be wrong and into whatever user did the installs appdata folder)

So Emby will be required to run as that specific user if that is the case.  But server log is needed.

[Happy2Play 9782]

Portable install is a zipped system folder that you place in any given parent folder and launch.  

[whalelinguini 1]

Yes it does just save to AppData\Roaming under Emby-Server and then an additional 'programdata' directory. I just wanted to see if the installer version would do the same thing, which it did when using my main firefox browser. Just went back to my portable version, and set it up with chrome. I'm not interested enough to autopsy what was conflicting with my firefox install.

 

edit: at least my portable installer/updater script wasn't causing any of the issues. I think the only 'bug' in it is I should really have a confirm put in for the output directory just in case you butterfinger something.Essentially does the same thing as the actual installer I guess. Just lets you choose the output dir. It's nice emby doesn't try to spider into everything. 

Thanks for the help!

Edited May 11, 2024 by whalelinguini